There are a lot of beliefs, myths, or "rules" about femininity, masculinity, and gender. These myths can change depending on culture, historical time period, and belief systems.
The Colour Pink: A Case Study in Changing Beliefs
The colour pink is a great example of how myths and beliefs about femininity can change.
In most Western contemporary cultures, pink is connected to (or sometimes considered the same as) femininity and girliness. For many, it's almost unthinkable that pink could ever represent something other than supreme feminine girliness — let alone masculinity!
Did you know that the idea that pink is "for girls" is only a blip on the historical radar? The connections we see today between pink and girls (and blue and boys) didn't actually begin until the early-mid 20th century (Steele, 2018).
Before this time, pink actually represented masculinity and manliness — like the blood-stained white linen of soldiers returning from war. Pink meant war, battle, strength, and masculinity — quite a difference from what we think about pink today!
It's Not Just Pink
Pink isn't the only "feminine" thing that has changed over time.
Did you know that high heels, wigs, and even makeup were once worn by men as a sign of their power, prestige, and masculinity? In fact, throughout history and across cultures, makeup has been worn to communicate power, status, and spirituality, too (Eldridge, 2015).
What This Means
All this to say, the way we think about femininity today isn't "innate," meaning it's not something we're born with. Rather, it's a product of culture, society, and history.
What this means is that we can decide what femininity and masculinity mean to us. We are not stuck with what the gender binary wants us to believe.
This also means that we can "undo" some of the harmful effects of the myths and rules of femininity. Learning they exist is the first step. What's next for you?
Now that we know beliefs about femininity are shaped by culture and history — not biology — let's look more closely at the specific myths and "rules" about femininity that still circulate today.
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